1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates broadly to the field of footwear formed of a molded shell comprising an upper and insole. More particularly, this invention relates to such footwear in which the molded shell includes a molded web platform thereon for securing the outsole.
2. State of the Art
Footwear comprising a molded upper formed of material such as thermoplastic urethane has several advantages over footwear comprising a rubber upper. Such molded uppers are, for example, more abrasion resistant than rubber uppers. Molded uppers are also more uniform in appearance than rubber uppers because they do not vary in texture or color as do rubber uppers.
There are, however, certain shortcomings associated with footwear having molded shells. For example, the insole platform of the molded shell must often have a matching configuration to the outsole to which it is cemented in order to provide a close fit between the insole and the outsole. Because the insole may have a unique configuration, it is necessary that the outsole have matching unique configuration. This means that if a variety of insoles are being produced an equal variety of outsoles must be maintained. Furthermore, should it be desired to replace a worn outsole, it would be necessary to use a replacement outsole having a configuration that matches the insole. Here again, it would be necessary to maintain a wide variety of outsoles for replacement purposes. It would therefore be desirable to provide footwear having a molded shell which does not require an outsole of a particular matching configuration, either for original production or replacement.
Footwear having molded shells are often designed to be of waterproof construction. When, however, such a shell is secured to the outsole by stitching through the shell, the stitches may create holes in the shell through which water may seep. It would therefore be desirable to provide footwear having a molded shell which is secured to the outsole by stitching but which would not have holes in the shell through which waler may enter and contact the wearer""s foot. It would also desirable to provide footwear formed of a molded upper and an outsole in which a stitched web platform creates a fashionable European-style appearance.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide footwear having a molded shell comprising an insole which does not require an outsole of the same configuration as the insole.
It is another object of the invention to provide footwear having a molded shell comprising an insole having a web platform which is stitched to the outsole, and wherein the shell does not include holes through which water may enter and contact the wearer.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide footwear having a molded shell comprising an insole having a web platform which is stitched to the outsole to create footwear of a fashionable European-style appearance.
In accordance with these objects, the footwear of the present invention has a molded shell, the bottom portion of which is an insole, and an integrally molded web platform around the periphery of the bottom portion. The outsole is first cemented to the bottom of the insole and to the bottom of the web platform and then the web platform is stitched to the outsole. With the provided arrangement, it is not necessary that the insole and the outsole have the same configuration since the stitching securing the web platform to the outsole conceals any spacing that may occur because the inner sole and outsole are not of matching configurations. The stitching also prevents separation of the inner and outsole soles. It is therefore unnecessary to maintain a wide variety of outsoles for the production or repair of the footwear. In addition, since it is the web platform which is stitched to the outsole and not the platform of the shell which surrounds the foot, any holes created by the stitching will occur in the web platform and not in the shell. Thus, there are no openings in the shell through which water may seep. Further, an aesthetically pleasing molded footwear having a stitched web platform is provided.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the detailed description taken in conjunction with the provided figures.